The Rayner-Slade Amalgamation eBook

“It’s this way,” said Allerdyke.
“I’m not at all satisfied about what these
doctors say, so far. They may be right, of course—­probably
are. Still I want to know all I can, and, naturally,
I’d like to know who the people were that my
cousin was last in company with. You never know
what may have happened—­there’s often
something that doesn’t show at first.”

“There was—­nothing missing in his
room, I hope?” asked the manager with professional
anxiety.

“Nothing that I know of,” answered Allerdyke.
“My man and I have searched him, and taken possession
of everything—­all that he had on him is
in that bag, and I’m going to examine it now.
No—­I don’t think anything had been
taken from him, judging by what I’ve seen.”

“You wouldn’t like me to send for the
police?” suggested the manager.

“Not at present,” replied Allerdyke.
“Not, at any rate, until these doctors say something
more definite—­they’ll know more presently,
no doubt. Of course, you’ve a list of all
the people who came in last night?”

“They would all register,” answered the
manager. “But then, you know, sir, many
of them will be going this morning—­most
of them are only breaking their journey. You
can look over the register whenever you like.”

“Later on,” said Allerdyke. “In
the meantime, I’ll examine these things.
Send me up some coffee as soon as your people are stirring.”

He unlocked the hand-bag when the manager had left
him. It seemed to his practical and methodical
mind that his first duty was to make himself thoroughly
acquainted with the various personal effects which
he and Gaffney had found on the dead man. Of
the valuables he took little notice; it was very evident,
in his opinion, that if James Allerdyke’s death
had been brought about by some sort of foul play—­a
suspicion which had instantly crossed his mind as
soon as he discovered that his cousin was dead—­the
object of his destroyer had not been robbery.
James had always been accustomed to carrying a considerable
sum of money on him; Gaffney’s search had brought
a considerable sum to light. James also wore
a very valuable watch and chain and two fine diamond
rings; there they all were. Not robbery—­no;
at least, not robbery of the ordinary sort. But—­had
there been robbery of another, a bigger, a subtle,
and deep-designed sort? James was a man of many
affairs and schemes—­he might have had valuable
securities, papers relating to designs, papers containing
secrets of great moment; he was interested, for example,
in several patents—­he might have had documents
pertinent to some affair of such importance that ill-disposed
folk, eager to seize them, might have murdered him
in order to gain possession of them. There were
many possibilities, and there was always—­to
Allerdyke’s mind—­the improbability
that James had died through sudden illness.